Mac 'n Cheese

Hi Everyone! Happy April! Looks like Teddy is making friends while we're gone at work!! We had this little visitor several times over the weekend and they are so cute!! Just sit there staring at one another- neither of them meows or hisses, just checking one another out. :) I think this means that Teddy really needs a little sister around here! ;)

                      We don't even know if his little friend is a girl or a boy but we call it               Butterscotch.... pretty appropriate for a cooking blog, huh?

Anyway, after we got these pics, I got busy in the kitchen with my famous mac 'n cheese recipe. I've made this for numerous occasions and events and have gotten positive feedback every time. The cheese can be switched up every time and so can the spices. Make it spicy, make it smokey, make it any way you like it!! Once you get the roux part down, all you need to do is add the cheeses and spices that suit your mood or party. Have fun and be creative!

MAC 'N CHEESE

What you need for the Mac 'n Cheese:

Kosher salt

Vegetable Oil

1 lb box of elbow macaroni

1 quart (4 cups) of milk

1 cup (1 stick) of butter

1/2 cup of flour

4 cups of Gruyere or another mild cheese (like swiss), shredded

2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon (we like ours spicy) of cayenne pepper

Optional- 1 cup of bread crumbs or crushed up potato chips

To make the Mac 'n Cheese:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Boil a large pot of water with a drizzle of oil and some kosher salt. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Pour your milk into a sauce pan and turn on low heat; do not bring to a boil but keep the milk on the heat long enough to warm.

4. Melt 6 tablespoons of your butter in a large pot. Add your 1/2 cup of flour and mix well until combined.

5. Cook about 4-5 minutes until brown and to cook off the flour taste.

6. Slowly add the milk to your roux mixture and keep mixing about 3-4 minutes until the mixture has become thick and smooth.

7. Turn heat to low and slowly add in your shredded cheese; keep mixing until melted and smooth. Continue this process until all of your cheese has been incorporated.

8. Once cheese mixture is smooth, remove from heat and mix in your cracked black pepper, cayenne pepper and nutmeg (I mixed mine in a bowl first and then poured it all in). 

9. Add your macaroni to the cheese and mix until combined. (NOTE: I usually take out some of the cheese sauce because there is always too much. I save this in the fridge or freeze it for another time.)

10. Transfer to a baking dish and top with bread crumbs or crushed up potato chips. Bake in your preheated oven about 20-25 minutes until bubbly and crispy on top!

I topped with a little extra parmesan- yummy!

ENJOY!

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